G/TFA/N/LAO/1/Add.4  
 
5 August 2020  
(20-5423) Page: 1/8 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original: English  
 
 
NOTIFICATION OF CATEGORY COMMITMENTS  UNDER  
THE AGREEMENT ON TRADE FACILITATION  
COMMUNICATION FROM LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC  
Addendum  
The following communica tion, dated 30 July 2020 , is being circulated at th e request of the delegation 
of Lao People's Democratic R epublic  for Members' informa tion. 
 
_______________  
 
 
1. Following up on the notification dated 13 February 2020  (G/TFA/N/LAO/1 /Add. 3), Lao People's 
Democratic Republic  hereby  makes the following notification of its definitive implementation 
dates  for its category B designations.  
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Definitive Date of 
Implementation  
Article 2.1  Opportunity to Comment and Information Before 
Entry into Force  31 December 202 0 
Article 2.2  Consultations  31 December 202 0 
Article 6.1  General Disciplines on Fees and Charges 
Imposed on or in Connection with Importation 
and Exportation  31 December 202 0 
Article 6.3  Penalty Disciplines  31 December 202 0 
Article 7. 3 Separation of Release from Final Determination 
of Customs Duties, Taxes, Fees and Charges  31 December 202 0 
Article 7.9  Perishable Goods  31 December 2020  
 
2. For ease of reference, Lao PDR' s full list of category commitments are summarized in the table 
as attached herewith.  
 
  
  G/TFA/N/LAO/1/Add.4  
 
- 2 - Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Definitive date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Assistance and Support for Capacity 
Building Required for Implementation  
(for category C)  
Article 1  Publication and Availability of Information  
Article 1.1  Publication  A - - - 
Article 1.2  Information Available through Internet  A - - - 
Article 1.3  Enquiry Points A - - - 
Article 1.4  Notification  A - - - 
Article 2  Opportunity  to Comment, Information before Entry into Force and Consultations   
Article 2.1  Opportunity to Comment and Information 
Before Entry into Force  B 31 December 2020  31 December 2020  - 
Article 2.2  Consultations  B 31 December 2020  31 December 2020  - 
Article 3  Advance Rulings  
 C 31 December 2022  To be determined  International TA for Lao Customs Department 
(LCD) to help it review and amend the 
Customs Law and relevant procedures, for 
expanding the scope of Advance Ruling 
scheme in operation, in order to include issues 
relating to valuation & duty exemptions in line 
with the TFA provisions and to help in the 
capacity building of government officials and 
members of trade for making effective use of 
this facility.  
Article 4  Procedures for Appeal or Review  
 A - - - 
Article 5  Other Measures to Enhance Impartiality, Non -Discrimination and Transparency  
Article 5.1  Notification for Enhanced Controls or 
Inspections  A - - - 
Article 5.2  Detention  A - - - 
Article 5.3  Test Procedures  C 31 December 2022  To be determined  International TA for the Customs Department, 
Food & Drugs Department (FDD), Agriculture 
and Department of Standardization & 
Metrology (DOSM) to help them insert 
suitable provisions in respective laws to allow 
drawing of samples for second test in 
accredite d laboratories and consideration of 
the second test report/analysis as per the TFA 
provisions. The TA is also expected to help 
them identify accredited laboratories and 
build capacity of the government officials and 
members of the trade to make use of this  
opportunity.   
  G/TFA/N/LAO/1/Add.4  
 
- 3 - Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Definitive date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Assistance and Support for Capacity 
Building Required for Implementation  
(for category C)  
Article 6  Disciplines on Fees and Charges Imposed on or in Connection with Importation and Exportation and Penalties  
Article 6.1  General Disciplines on Fees and Charges 
Imposed on or in Connection with 
Importation and Exportation  B 31 December 2020  31 December 2020  - 
Article 6.2  Specific Disciplines on Fees and Charges 
for Customs Processing Imposed on or in 
Connection with Importation and 
Exportation  A - - - 
Article 6.3  Penalty Disciplines  B 31 December 2020  31 December 2020  - 
Article 7  Release and Clearance of Goods  
Article 7.1  Pre-arrival Processing  A - - - 
Article 7.2  Electronic Payment  C 31 December 2022  To be determined  The international TA and national expert 
needed to help the Department of Agriculture 
to draft technical regulations, guidelines and 
SOPs for setting up a facility for electronic 
payment of inspection fees, test analysis fees, 
phyto -certificate fees and other charges at its 
central and provincial offices.  
Article 7.3  Separation of Release from Final 
Determination of Customs Duties, Taxes, 
Fees and Charges  B 31 December 2020  31 December 2020  - 
Article 7.4  Risk Management  C 31 December 2022  To be determined  International TA for Customs, Food & Drugs 
and plant quarantine departments to help in 
building an integrated risk management 
framework in collaboration with other border 
agencies and in developing composite risk 
profiles using their inputs in the customs 
selectivity module. The TA will also help those 
agencies in establishing their respective risk 
management units and organizing  training 
workshops for their capacity building.   
  G/TFA/N/LAO/1/Add.4  
 
- 4 - Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Definitive date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Assistance and Support for Capacity 
Building Required for Implementation  
(for category C)  
Article 7.5  Post-clearance Audit  C 31 December 2022  To be determined  International TA for Customs, Food & Drugs 
Department (FDD), Department of Agriculture 
and the Department of Standardization & 
Metrology (DOSM) to help them insert 
suitable provisions in respective laws to allow 
drawing of samples for second test and 
consideration of the second test report as per 
the TFA provisions. It will also help them 
identify accredited laboratories in the region 
& elsewhere and build capacity of the 
government officials and members of trade to 
make use of this opportunity  
Article 7.6  Establishment and Publication of Average 
Release Times  C 31 December 2022  To be determined  Project support for Customs Department that 
has been conducting time -release studies 
periodically to organize training workshops in 
provinces for capacit y building of Customs, 
Food & Drugs and quarantine officials at the 
border to take part in the next TRS for data 
collection and also to expand its scope to 
include off -border documentary compliance.  
Article 7.7  Trade Facilitation Measures for Authorized 
Operators  C 31 December 2022  To be determined  International TA for Customs to help in the 
capacity building of its officials, especially to 
organize a field visit of select number of 
officials to a country with developed scheme 
of Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) and 
Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA) 
collaborations, such as South Korea, Thailand, 
New Zealand or India.  
Article 7.8  Expedited Shipments  C 31 December 2022  To be determined  International TA for Customs to devise 
detailed procedure for expedited shipment by 
air, especially those consignments that are 
falling above the de-minimus  threshold to 
ensure their quick clearance with adequate 
regulatory controls. Support also needed fo r 
capacity building of officials and trade in this 
regard.  
Article 7.9  Perishable G oods B 31 December 2020  31 December 2020  -  
  G/TFA/N/LAO/1/Add.4  
 
- 5 - Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Definitive date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Assistance and Support for Capacity 
Building Required for Implementation  
(for category C)  
Article 8  Border Agency Cooperation  
 C 31 December 2022  To be determined  International TA for Customs to evolve a 
common national framework, a new border 
management model (BMM) in collaboration 
with other border agencies, like quarantine 
and food & drugs etc. for joint inspection at 
border crossings. TA will also be needed for 
sharing common facilities and joint controls in 
cooperation with cross -border counterparts, 
particularly for rolling out Single Stop 
Inspection at the major crossings. Support 
also needed for capacity building of officials 
for implementing the purposed border 
management model.  
Article 9  Movement of Goods Intended for I mport  under Customs Control  
 A - - - 
Article 10  Formalities Connected with Importation, Exportation and Transit  
Article 10.1  Formalities and Documentation 
Requirements  C 31 December 2022  To be determined  International TA for the Department of 
Agriculture to review its procedural formalities 
and documentation requirements for 
expediting clearance process, particularly for 
perishable goods. Customs Department needs 
project support, to improve ASYCUDA 
procedure to enable centralized processing of 
declarations and for developing a Service 
Charter, with mechanism for regular 
monitoring and performance evaluation by its 
internal Audit. Assistance is also required by 
the Department of Import & Export for rolling 
out its e -CO (Electronic C ertificate of Origin) 
facility to provinces and upgrading its trade 
data collection & dissemination system. 
Support also needed for capacity building of 
government personnel engaged in these 
tasks.   
  G/TFA/N/LAO/1/Add.4  
 
- 6 - Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Definitive date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Assistance and Support for Capacity 
Building Required for Implementation  
(for category C)  
Article 10.2  Acceptance of C opies C 31 December 2022  To be determined  Technical Assistance to review relevant laws 
in order to streamline import and export 
permits and other necessary requirements. 
Assistance is needed to develop a 
government -wide strategy to replace all 
documentation with electronic processing 
especially in other border related agencies.  
 
Technical Assistance needed to promote 
border coordination as well as assist other 
agencies to transition to electronic document.  
 
Human resources/training -capacity building 
for relevant border agenc y officials to ensure 
enhanced border coordination.  
 
Assistance needed to capacitate other 
agencies with ICT tools and enablers in order 
to meet international standards for 
computerized system as well as expedite 
clearance.  
Article 10.3  Use of International Standards  C 31 December 2022  To be determined  International TA for Customs Department, 
Department of Import & Export, Food & Drugs 
Department, Department of Agriculture and 
Department of Standards & Metrology to 
revise their laws and procedur es for 
complying with international standards. 
Customs Department also needs support for 
organizing workshops with other stakeholders 
for generating awareness about these 
changes.  
Article 10.4  Single Window  C 31 December 2022  To be determined  International TA for Department of Agriculture 
to develop suitable procedures and build 
department’s capacity for joining the Lao 
National Single Window being launched that 
may cover import of agricultural products, 
fertilizers and pesticides etc. in the n ear 
future.  
Article 10.5  Pre-shipment Inspection  A - - - 
Article 10.6  Use of Customs Brokers  A - - -  
  G/TFA/N/LAO/1/Add.4  
 
- 7 - Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Definitive date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Assistance and Support for Capacity 
Building Required for Implementation  
(for category C)  
Article 10.7  Common Border Procedures and Uniform 
Documentation Requirements  C 31 December 2022  To be determined  Lao PDR required support on the following  
activities:  
a) Regular study and review of procedures 
and documentation requirements of 
border agencies, like the Department of 
Food & Drugs and Department of 
Agriculture (Plant & Animal Quarantine 
departments) to ensure that common 
border procedure s and documentation 
requirements are followed throughout the 
country ; 
b) Development of monitoring mechanism 
for ensuring common border procedures 
and documentation, and  
c) Capacity building of the staffs of these 
agencies for implementing above 
changes . 
Article 10.8  Rejected G oods C 31 December 2022  To be determined  Lao PDR required support on the following 
activities:  
a) Revision of laws and procedures of non -
Customs agencies for complying with the 
TFA provisions ; 
b) Capacity building of the staff of these 
agencies for implementing above 
changes . 
Article 10.9  Temporary Admission of Goods and Inward 
and Outward Processing  A - - - 
Article 11  Freedom of Transit  
 C 31 December 2022  To be determined  Lao PDR required support on the following 
activities:  
a) Development of simplified procedures by 
non-customs agencies for seamless transit 
of goods across ASEAN by road, rail, and 
multi-modal means of transport ; 
b) Capacity building of the staff of these 
agencies for implementing above 
changes.   
  G/TFA/N/LAO/1/Add.4  
 
- 8 - Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Definitive date for 
implementation  
(for categories  
B and C)  Assistance and Support for Capacity 
Building Required for Implementation  
(for category C)  
Article 12  Customs C ooperation  
 C 31 December 2022  To be determined  Lao Customs Department has signed mutual 
cooperation agreements with customs 
administrations of neighbouring countries and 
needs international TA for developing 
requisite protocols capacity building of its 
officials to operationalize data exchange 
arrangement, especially with Thailand and 
China, its largest trading partners.  
 
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